Instep-support.



W. ROONNELL.

INSTEP SUPPORT.

APPLIGATIGN FILED HA3. 5, 1910 979,930, Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

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WILLIAM F. CONNELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INSTEP-SUPPORT.

Application filed March 5, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM F. GONNELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Instep-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to supports for the arch of the human instep, and its objects are, among others, to provide a simple, strong and durable construction which may be made of comparatively light sheet metal and at the same time have unusual strength and durability; to provide means for reinforcing the support integral therewith whereby it will be prevented from yielding to such an extent as to injure the foot or weaken itself; and to provide means for protecting the foot of the wearer from irregularities in the main plate due to its peculiar formation and at the same time provide a nonmetallic cushion between certain parts of the support and the foot.

To these ends it consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is an underside plan view of an arch support embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same taken from the inside of the foot. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 83 of Fig. 1.

The main plate A is arched from end to end and from side to side to approximate the under surface of the inside of the instep of the foot and has a turned-up side portion A to support the side of the instep. It is provided with a cover B of leather or other suitable non metallic substance secured thereto by means of rivets B.

Near the middle of the main plate A and running longitudinally thereof is a strip C formed by striking out of the plate a strip of the metal of which the plate is formed and leaving it connected therewith at its ends. This strip or strap is downwardly curved, and its curve is approximately the reverse of the upward curve of the main support at this part. Its principal objects are to strengthen the support at the middle and to prevent it from being depressed too far under the weight of the wearer by coming in contact with the sole of the shoe, thus checking the depression of the said plate A,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Serial No. 547,604.

and also providing an elastic support therefor which will brace the same against the downward pressure.

Between the strip 0 and the cover B is interposed a cushion D of leather, rubber or other suitable material, and of such thickness as to fill the space between the said strip and cover. The main objects of this cushion are to prevent the foot from forming a depression in the cover portion at'the portion from which the strip C is struck and to prevent the said strip from stretching to an undesirable extent. It will be apparent that the weight of the foot communicated to the strip C through the interposed cushion D will tend to hold it in its downwardly curved shape, and in this manner the efliciency of the said strip as a support for the main plate is gradually increased.

The opening above the strip C affords a certain amount of ventilation, but in order to provide still further for ventilation, the plate A in the vicinity of the strip is pro vided with a series of perforations E arranged so as to permit the evaporation of moisture and to prevent it from accumulating on the upper side of the plate A, and at the same time arranged so as not to materially weaken the said plate. If desired the cover may also be provided with perforations for the purpose of ventilation.

The peculiar construction and arrangement of the curved strip and the interposed cushion or filling has advantages in addition to those before mentioned herein. One of these advantages is that when the main plate gives way under the weight of the wearer the strip comes in contact with the sole of the shoe and first checks the depression of the plate by causing the cushion above it to protrude through the upper surface of the plate to a certain extent and press against the foot through the cover, thus reducing the pressure of the foot on the main plate, and then supports the arch of the main plate at the ends of the strip by causing upward pressure thereon. The action of the strip is therefore to checkthe pressure of the foot and support the foot to a certain extent and at the same time to support and strengthen the plate.

IVhat I claim is 1. The combination of a metallic plate curved to approximate the under surface of the instep, a cover secured to and covering the upper surface of the said plate, and a strip of metal located near the middle of the plate and extending longitudinally thereof, and an opening in the plate above the said strip, said strip being joined to the plate at its ends and being downwardly curved, and a cushion of non-metallic substance interposed between the said strip and the cover and extending through the opening of the plate.

2. The combination of a metallic plate arched to approximate the under surface of the instep, a strip of metal located centrally and extending longitudinally thereof, said strip of metal being connected with the plate at its ends and being substantially straight in cross section but downwardly curved intermediate its ends, the said plate having an opening above the saidstrip coextensive therewith and adapted to receive the strip when the plate is depressed or the strip pressed upwardly until the said strip and plate are substantially in plane, the construction and arrangement being such that pressure of the foot on the plate will first cause the middle of the strip to press against the inner sole of the shoe, then straighten the 3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a metallic plate arched to approximate the under-surface of the instep and having an upturned side portion at one edge curved to approximate the shape of the side portion of the instep arch, an integral strip of metal located near the middle of the plate and extending longitudinally thereof, said strip being substantially staight in cross-section, joining the plate at its ends and separated therefrom along its longitudinal edges and being downwardly curved and having its medial portion normally in contact witlithe inner sole of the shoe.

Witness my hand this 1st day of March, 1910, at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York.

VILLIAM F. CONNELL.

Witnesses E. W. SOHERR, J r., S. J. Cox. 

